Blood Lines
by SeriouslySiruis
Summary: For years Serenity Clearwater has to undergo the scrutiny of her father while she is home schooled, but during her fifth year she decides that she needs a break from her father and enrolls in Hogwarts. However she finds that Hogwarts may not be the safe haven she once thought. Set post second war {ON HIATUS}
1. Chapter 1

_Athour's Note: This is really a work in progress so please read and review so I know where I should take this story_

 **Chapter One: Saying Goodbye**

Staring up at the chipped red paint, flecking off the train in tiny poisonous sections, Serenity couldn't help but wonder why after all this time, this ruin remained scathed. Construction after the war began much before she was born, so it was curious why they had let her chariot to Hogwarts rot away like some sort of demented house elf. She thought that maybe it would look as bright and magical to her as it would the naïve little first years that scampered around platform 9 and ¾, but her unfamiliarity to the yearly ritual did nothing to cause excitement. She felt the same as she had before every lesson her father would teach her; anxious and empty.

It had taken a great deal to convince her father it would be better for her to continue the next three years of her schooling at Hogwarts, but Serenity was a clever girl and was determined to learn more about the world than what her father would allow her to learn in his classes. There was just so much more out there. She was sure of it.

Serenity turned as a great black shadow loomed over her and saw her father standing before her clad in light brown robes. Gerard Clearwater was a rather thin man with hardly any muscle at all. In the center of his narrow, rectangular face sat a pair of worn spectacles on top of a crooked nose. Grey eyes looked out from his heavy lids and in that moment, Serenity couldn't help but notice just how old her father looked. A tinge of guilt nested in her gut as she realized his transformation was because of her.

"Serenity, even now I am very hesitant to let you be off on your own," Gerard began.

"Father, I will hardly be on my own at Hogwarts. There are over a thousand students who attend and countless teachers who can protect us. I assure you, I'm perfectly capable of being away from you." Her father's face twisted a bit as the last sentence exited her mouth. She knew that what she had said had offended him.

"But I was wondering about the house system and which category I will be sorted into. I mean I have so many different qualities it's hard for me to pinpoint where I'll end up." Gerard couldn't help but smile at his daughter in that moment.

"My dear, you need not worry about that, I have no doubt you'll be put in one of the good houses. Gryffindor or Ravenclaw for sure, but I'd put my bets on Ravenclaw. You're much too smart to be in any other house. Besides, not a single person in our family has been in anything but those two houses." Serenity was still unconvinced.

"But what if I do end up in one of the others?"

"Oh, don't think like that! You will be put in exactly the house that you are supposed to be in." The bellowing shriek of the train whistle filled the air signifying that final goodbyes between students and their loved ones were in order. The children began piling into the train, eager to escape the final bone crushing hugs their mothers had for them and the air was quickly filled with frantic goodbyes for all those who had escaped. Serenity picked up her trunk from the ground and looked up at her father once more.

"I believe this is the part where we say goodbye." Gerard's face became serious at that moment.

"Serenity I want you to promise me you're going to stay out of trouble this year."

"Come on, what could possibly go wrong?" With that her father gave her one short nod before turning and disappearing into the crowd. That was all she got as her goodbye. No hugging. No tears. Just a nod. After years of being forced to remain in her own home and all she gets is a nod when she leaves? Serenity could not help but feel enraged at her father as she gathered up her things and boarded the train. Why was it that he was so hell bent on keeping her with him if he was going to be so uncaring? Perhaps she should have pushed going to Hogwarts years ago.

A nervous knot worked its way into her stomach as she passed through the cars finding each one to be full. Serenity didn't exactly think about this part of her transition. She didn't think about how the other children would stare as she shuffled passed each silver door trying desperately to find solitude. It was funny that only now that she was granted the option of a social life that she craved being alone. There was just something extremely off putting about the way she could feel the eyes boring into her back and how she could hear the birthing of rumors about her begin.

At the end of the hall there was a single neglected car away from the rest. Serenity breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly entered the small compartment and shut the door behind her. The world was finally quiet apart from the sound of the train's engine signifying their departure. She put her trunk in the cavity above her then took the seat closest to the window. They were just passing the platform and the lingering crowd of parents was still shouting their final goodbyes. She thought for just a moment she saw her father among them, staring blankly at the passing train, but the image was gone in a flash. The idea left her head as her fingers brushed over a small imperfection in the wood of the armrest. It was the crudely carved letters DM. Serenity wondered if anyone else had ever noticed them there before.

The ride continued that way for some time. Serenity gazing out the window, lazily gliding her hand across the inscription as the sun slowly fell beneath the trees leaving a black sky in its wake. Somehow, these two letters felt more familiar than anything she had yet encountered. In a way it gave her a feeling that she was not alone. That someone in the world understood. She was jolted from her thoughts by the door sliding open to reveal two boys similar to her in age. They both had shaggy jet black hair. They were incredibly similar to each other except the one that looked slightly older had bright brown eyes whereas the other had green. Serenity wouldn't have been surprised if they had been twins.

"Er, you're not supposed to be in here," the younger one said.

"Why, is there some sort of rule against it or something?" He shuffled uncomfortably for a moment.

"Well, no… it's just nobody comes in here. Who are you anyway?"

"I'm nobody, that's why I came in here." The older one smirked for a second.

"Well Nobody," he began, "we just wanted to let you know you should be change into your robes. We will be arriving at Hogwarts soon." Serenity nodded and they both turned to leave.

"Oh, and by the way," the older one popped his head back into the cart for a second, "I'm James and this is Albus. If you ever need anything just come find us."

Stepping off the train was slightly relieving. The chaos of the arrival seemed to cause everyone to be too preoccupied to notice the strange new girl walking among the ranks. A great bellowing voice called for the first years. His form towered over Serenity with ease and a great lantern swung from his iron fist, illuminating passing students. The light came over her face and lingered. The great man came towards her; each heavy step seemed to shake the earth.

"Why, 'ello there missy! I reckon I 'aven't seen you 'round 'ere before. Say, you don't 'appen to be the girl I'm s'pposed to be lookin' for are ya?" Serenity was a bit taken aback by Hagrid's friendliness.

"I suppose that really depends on who you're looking for. I'm Serenity Clearwater, daughter of Gerard Clearwater."

"Blimey! You're quite the formal one, aren't ya? Well, Serenity Clearwa'er, I've been instructed by the headmistress to escort you to the castle. Come with me."

It didn't take long for Serenity to figure out where they were going. She had read _Hogwarts: A History_ enough times to know that all first years travelled the final way to Hogwarts by boat. Even though it technically wasn't her first year of schooling, she could technically be considered a first year at Hogwarts. She figured that the headmistress wanted her to get the full experience, so Serenity continued on without any fuss.

The air was cool and gentile as the boats glided gracefully along the black lake. Tiny stars of light danced through the ripples, reflecting each brilliantly lit window of the castle. Serenity felt that the ride simply did not last long enough and that they were all standing within the great double doors of the great hall in no time at all. Professor Longbottom stood there waiting patiently to greet them all. Serenity felt a bit silly standing with all of the first years since it was obvious that she was older than them all. Some of them were also a bit unsettled by her appearance, whispering to their new classmates about the strange girl standing with them.

"In just a few minutes each one of you will be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts. You will either be a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff, a Slytherin, or a Gryffindor. It doesn't matter which house you get into because there is no such thing as a good or evil house, so don't be nervous. It will all work out in the end."

This must be why they had stuck her with the first years. Serenity had yet to be sorted into a house. She always just assumed it would be a private affair that they would have done in the headmistress's office before classes began, but apparently, Hogwarts was a bit more flashy then she had previously thought.

"Alright everyone, it's time." Then, before she knew it, they were all walking through the doors of the Great Hall and marching their way up the isles.

Serenity was used to magic, but she was in complete awe when she saw the thousands of candles floating above her. What kind of strange and powerful magic allowed such a beautiful and intricate spell to hold for so long? She would have to consult the books once more for her answer because she was quite curious on how she could replicate the night sky in her own room. For just a brief moment, however, a slight smirk appeared on her face as she thought about just what would happen started dripping their wax.

They all stood in silence at the front of the Great Hall. The four tables hushed as their eyes fell on Serenity. What in Merlin's name was a fifth year doing up with the first? Not just any fifth year either, a new fifth year. Their confusion soon became audible as the entire hall became filled with the sound of airy whispers as the students gossiped about their new classmate.

"I hear she just got out of Askaban and that's why she's starting school so late."

"No, no, don't be an idiot. She's obviously just taken an aging potion so she could look more mature ."

"Well I heard that she is just a squib that they're trying to give a chance."

Serenity was appalled. Her?! A dirty squib?! That was ridiculous! She was a pureblood and there was no possible-

She immediately stopped her thoughts. Where on earth did that come from? Yes, she was pureblood, but she had never really been one for believing in the nonsense of pureblood supremacy. It's like the thoughts just burrowed their way into her head out of nowhere. She would have to think on that further after the sorting.

"Welcome, everyone, to another year at Hogwarts." An impossibly old lady spoke from a podium standing just slightly higher than the first years. She must have been Professor McGonagall.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. I'm sure you're all aware of the new student standing among the first years. I understand that Hogwarts does not get a lot new students, so I want to make it abundantly clear that the only reason she is standing with the first years is that she has yet to be sorted. She is a complete and fully qualified fifth year student and I do not want anyone in this school to think otherwise." She paused for a second, scanning her eyes over the crowd, letting her words sink in. "Now, without further ado let us begin the sorting."

Professor Longbottom stepped forward, a scroll in one hand and a ragged hat in the other.

"Serenity Clearwater." Her name rang throughout the silent hall like that of death bells. She couldn't believe the kind of embarrassment the night had brought her. It was just her luck that Clearwater happened to come before everyone else's last name.

With slow steps, Serenity moved from her spot with the first years to an old wooden stool strained to stand next to the professor. She sighed and sat down, feeling her seat creak slightly, unaccustomed to having to support the weight of a fifth year student. Like thousands of previous Hogwarts attendees, the sorting hat was placed on her head, giving it the complete power to search through her darkest desires. That was a prospect that suddenly unnerved her quite a bit.

"No need to fear me, girl, for I don't share any of the secrets I collect. Though oh do I rarely get a head chalked full of as many as yours." Serenity jumped as a voice suddenly filled her head. She had the greatest urge to throw the hat as far away from her as she could, but she knew that it would just make her look like a fool.

"It's something about getting older I suspect. The loss of innocence will do that to you, I suppose. That's probably why students are sorted so young. They are so innocent that most of them don't even question being sorted." The hat paused briefly before continuing. "But you question it though. You're a clever one. I've only once seen a girl with such a vicious thirst for knowledge before. You would be a perfect candidate for Ravenclaw, just like your mother and father. But with that I see ambition… and darkness. It is deep and hidden, but there. You know it is too, but you suppress it as long as it allows you to reach whatever goals you have. So I think I'll put you in… SLYTHERIN!"

As that one word bounced off the walls of the Great Hall, Serenity could feel her heart sinking to the floor. Slytherin? Out of every house she could be put in the hat put her in Slytherin? She could not believe this. Was it because she was a pureblood? Oh Merlin, what would her father say when he discovered she now belonged to the "evil" house?

She was completely deaf to the applause as she dragged herself over to the Slytherin table. Wasn't this moment supposed to be euphoric? This was supposed to be her home away from home, but this whole idea was turning out to be a nightmare. Quietly, she took a seat next to a blonde third year and continued to think while the rest of the first years were sorted into their houses.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

New Beginnings

Faint green streams of light floated meekly through the underwater windows of the Slytherin dorm and casted seafoam shadows on the wooden four-poster bed. Serenity watched the glittering reflections dance on the wood as the rest of the Slytherin girls continued dreamless sleep. It was around 4:30 in the morning, or so she guessed. She was not accustom to sleeping near so many people before. All their mixed energy created a rather too exciting environment for sleep to come naturally to her. So apart from the tossing and turning, all she could really do that night is think about everything that had transpired.

After the sorting, she barely had an appetite, despite their being every food one could choose from. Instead, she wrote a letter to her father and tried to ignore the looks she continued to receive from around the hall. Apparently, the word of an old woman was not enough to satisfy the hungry minds of Hogwarts. Her letter was very brief, talking about her safe arrival. However, she carefully alluded her sorting. Serenity was not sure how the news of her being a Slytherin would go over with her father and she figured it would be best to wait and tell him over holiday when she could calm him if need be. She was worried that with current health, the news of her sorting would cause an episode, and she did, after all, love her father. Even if the recent little trickling thoughts in her mind told her that he did not feel the same.

4:45. Well, it was obvious that sleep was futile at that point, so instead of fighting a losing battle, Serenity took it upon herself to look presentable for her first day. She shuffled silently across the floor until she reached the lavatories, quite impressed that it was nothing like the stereotypical muggle public school lavatory that she had seen in movies. This one was very clean with polished, wooden doors that magically abstained from rot. Shiny green and silver tile floor reflected from several sets of spotless mirrors. The most shocking thing in the room was coincidentally the least cleanly section; a small, white outlet. This made Serenity raise a brow in astonishment. Although clearly unused, she never imagined that electricity would be an option at Hogwarts. Every source she ever read said that Hogwarts only used magic as a source of energy. Though with this new discovery, Serenity wondered if it was possible to send for some of her electric muggle devices. It would be nice to have that little bit of home with her.

Stepping up to the mirror, a ragged girl stared back. Eyes that were usually bright and green were glazed over and had bags pillowing underneath them. Her burgundy hair frizzed in strange clumps that made it look unwashed. Had she always been this pale or was this some recent development? Perhaps it was from all the hours she spent inside her manor instead of playing quidditch with the few people her father allowed her to be aquatinted with. She ran her fingers through her hair and scowled as she found a thing layer of grease coating. Quietly, she tiptoed back to her bed to gather some clean robes before she made her way to the shower.

Serenity let a sigh of relief pass her lips as the hot water washed away her stress. Nothing made her feel better than being enveloped in the steamy cocoon...well, she couldn't quite say that. There were things that made her feel better, but those muggle substances were in her past. Now, she was a respectable, pure blood witch, not a rebellious teenager. Or so she hoped.

A small noise echoed through the lavatory as the door opened. Someone else must have gotten up, but wasn't it still relatively early for the rest of the Slytherins? Serenity listened for footsteps. Maybe they weren't going to spend any extended period of time sucking up her peace. The light's flickered. Someone was definitely there, but Serenity couldn't hear them at all. She checked to make sure the door to the stall was locked. It was. She yelped as cold water abruptly began to pour from shower head. What the hell? Wasn't the water magically heated? She tried to turn it off, but more and more icy water drenched her. Serenity's bones ached with the fridgid temperatures. Shivering, she frantically tried to open the door. A thick layer of black ice formed around the lock.

"Help!" She screamed and rammed her body against the door. The water increased and it was getting harder for her to breathe.

"Please! Someone! I know you're there!" The lights went out and the water stopped. Serenity's breath billowed from her mouth in frosty clouds as she inched towards the door. Water dripped from her ivory skin as she reached out for the lock, praying for warmth on the other side. As her fingers brushed against the metallic lock the door burst open. A girl stood before her, glowing piercingly blue. Her robes were wet and tattered with streaks of dark liquid staining them. They looked incredibly old. Nothing like the robes they used at Hogwarts now. Her face was puffy with sharp tear lines iced from her eyes to her neck.

Those eyes… those incredibly blank, dead eyes, they stared into Serenity's soul. They gulped all the fear, all the secrets that she held so closely to her heart with just one look. She couldn't breathe as this thing continued to devour everything it could touch with its stare. Her stomach felt so tight that it felt like someone had casted the cruciatus curse on her. She struggled to move backwards, anything to put distance between herself and the entity.

Her foot stepped back into something warm. The transition in temperature broke her gaze and she looked down. Red. Dear god so much red. Horrified, she realized it was blood. More warm covered her body as the shower head kicked back on, sputtering the crimson liquid all over her. That rotting metallic smell filled her nose. It was everywhere. In her hair. In her eyes. She desperately wiped her eyes, removing the layer of blood.

A gust of wind slammed her back against the wall and she yelped as her head smacked against the tile. The world spun. Another weak scream barely escaped her lips as her assailant appeared before her. Her vision was fading and all she could see were those horrible eyes.

"Tainted Blood!" It rasped in her ear before she passed out completely.

She woke up on the floor of the shower, warm water still gently falling on her body, caressing her sleeping form. There was no blood. No... creature. She felt her head for the lump that surely would be there, but there wasn't even any pain. No. That wasn't possible. There was no way that she had just fallen asleep. Yes she had been tired, but never before had Serenity fallen asleep like that. No, that was all too real for her liking. A shiver ran up her spine. She needed to leave. Now.

Serenity practically ran from her shower, towel wrapped loosely around her chest. The door to the lavatory opened right as she opened the door to her shower. Her blood ran cold as she caught a glimpse of blue. A small female entered the room carrying a baby blue towel in her hand. Serenity relaxed, but only slightly. She was still distrustful of these people. For all she knew this girl could have been the reason for her little acid trip in the shower this morning. However, once this girl's eyes landed on Serenity's drenched form she looked even more surprised than Serenity did.

"Y-y-you can't be in here," the girl stammered out, looking very uncomfortable. Rage grew inside of Serenity. What, just because she enrolled in Hogwarts a little later than her means that Serenity wasn't allowed to use the same showers?

"Why? Why can't I be in here? These are the showers. It is a PUBLIC place meant for EVERYONE. You have NO right to tell me not to be in here, so you're just going to have to deal with it."

"You just can't! You-you're messing it all up!" Serenity stalked towards the girl.

"Oh is that why you attacked me? Because I am ruining your precious showers?" The girl looked confused.

"Attacked? I don't- Whatever. It doesn't matter. Just get out!" The girl pushed Serenity out the door and slammed it in her face. The gush of air pushed the clumps of wet hair from her face. Serenity huffed and walked back to her room. What an incredibly rude girl.

Serenity grabbed her school uniform and drew the curtains around her bed so she could have a little privacy while she changed. Most of the girls around her were still deeply asleep. She had no idea why that nasty girl was even up so early, classes didn't start till nine and breakfast wasn't far before that. She must have had some sort of pureblood complex about how she was entitled to the first clean shower before mud-muggle borns tainted it. What a load of crap.

Serenity gathered her things and left her dorms before the other girls woke up. The common room was all but empty except for a single boy reading calmly in front of the fire. She caught a glimpse of his platinum hair before she exited into the halls of Hogwarts. Emerging from the dungeons, soft morning light cascaded from the windows. It was the most natural light she had seen since her father dropped her off at the station the day before. The sunlight brought a safety to her that she could not quite understand, but she was thankful for it nonetheless.

At the end of the hall, she took a left and tried to conjure a mental image of the map she had just caught a glimpse of this morning. Was the library to the left? She thought it was to the left, but she also was pretty sure she got lost after passing the potions class room. Honestly, Serenity was surprised she made it out of the dungeons at all. She couldn't believe that first years weren't given maps of this place, or someone to just show them around until they got the hang of things.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she reached her destination. She pushed through the double doors. It was completely empty. Nice to know students weren't really concerned with getting extra study time in before classes started. Although, to be fair Serenity hadn't come there to study either, well at least not study for school. She was determined to find out what kind of curse or, or THING that little witch used to spook her this morning.

Her hands brushed against the spines of the books as she walked and quietly read the titles to herself.

"The Dark Arts Outsmarted, Confronting the Faceless, Guide to Advanced Occlumency…Ah! Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed." Perfect. There was no way that girl had used anything beyond basic to hex her with, especially since she didn't even have the intelligence to make a good excuse when confronted.

Nothing. There was nothing in there. Nothing of use anyway, just boogie hexes for first years. Could she have summoned something? Serenity seriously doubted it. Maybe this girl really didn't have anything to do with it. Maybe Serenity was just going crazy. Serenity felt a feeling of irony consume her. How greatly would it sting if her mind started to give as soon as she gained freedom. Perhaps that was why her father had kept her locked up all this time…

Serenity had been in the library for quite some time and she could see faces passing through the windows heading in the direction of the great hall. Gathering up her things she exited the library and followed them. Her stomach growled from the absence of last night's dinner. A hearty breakfast was in order.

The great hall was filled with activity as the students ate their meals. Excited chatter echoed around the room as the first years gossiped about how amazing it was to finally start school. The upperclassmen scoffed and rolled their eyes knowing that they had a lot more in store for them than the tomfoolery they surely were planning. Owls swooped in from the windows delivering congratulatory letters from parents and parcels filled with items forgotten from their homes. There was a loud crash as an owl crashed into Gryffindor table causing a bowl of biscuits to fly all over a group of students. Among them were the two boys that confronted Serenity on the train. They laughed at the ridiculous bird's attempt to deliver a message to a ginger girl sitting between them. She looked extremely flustered as she retrieved a small letter from the owl's beak and tried to shoo it away with her hands.

Serenity's heart ached for a moment while looking over at their table. It must be nice to be able to be so carefree. She contemplated going over to them for breakfast but quickly opted out. She had already caused enough commotion at the school and there really was no need for her to be causing even more fights between the two rival houses. Instead, she took a seat alone at the Slytherin table and began to pile food onto her plate. It surprised her how much food she was actually able to get down. Serenity never was a heavy eater, but something about the food at Hogwarts made her feel comforted.

Sitting further down the Slytherin table was the girl who had accosted her in the bathroom that morning. She had a very particular way about her that Serenity couldn't quite place. Everything about her seemed exactly in place down to the creases in her skirt. Even the way she ate her food seemed neat. Each food was placed carefully in sections on her plate so that they could not touch each other. The more Serenity watched the girl's curious display, the more she doubted that she could have had something to do with what happened earlier. This girl might be hostile but she seemed too… orderly to think up such a cruel hex for someone she didn't even know.

Her thoughts made her body itch as she abandoned the rest of her meal in search for answers. Something was wrong with that entire situation, she just didn't know what. She made it a ways down the long halls of the school before she heard the heavy sound of feet slapping against the stone floors. Turning, she saw the older boy from the train sprinting towards her carrying a satchel full of his school books.

"Hey!" He shouted as he shortened the distance between them huffing as he tried to regain his breath a little.

"Hello, Albus. Is there something I can help you with?" Serenity couldn't help but smirk at the little lines on his face as his brows furrowed together.

"Hey, that's not my name. I'm not Albus, I'm James. Speaking of names I still don't really know yours."

"Well Not Albus, maybe you should have been paying more attention during the sorting ceremony."

"Hey that's not fair, it's not like I could have known they would have someone so ho- I mean someone so old up there." He stammered for a second.

"I'm sorry what was that? Not sure I heard you there. Someone so what?" Serenity was amused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh, sure you don't. What is it you wanted anyway Not James?"

"Well, NOBODY, I just wanted to see how you were. First day and all after being homeschooled must be a little intimidating after all."

"Why do you even care? You're a Gryffindor and I'm a Slytherin. We aren't exactly supposed to be seen being friendly." James looked confused for a moment before a trickle of air exploded from his lips into a laugh. Wheezing, he grabbed onto the nearby wall to regain his balance before wiping the tears from his eyes from under his glasses.

"Merlin, Nobody, who on EARTH have you been talking to?"

"What in heavens do you mean?" Serenity asked confused.

"Oh please, the nonsensical house rivalries ended after my father ended the war. What prick told you otherwise?"

"Well my father did."

"Oh, well, um, sorry I'm not saying that, um, your father is," he stammered.

"A prick?" She interjected laughing a bit.

"Yeah… I'm sorry if I said anything out of term."

"No it's quite alright. My father is a prick." They both laughed a little and looked at the ground.

"Well, I should probably get to class." Serenity said.

"Yeah… well is there anything you need before you go?" James asked almost desperately. He definitely liked her. He enjoyed how sarcastic she was for a Slytherin. It was true that the houses weren't actively fighting, but it didn't mean that Slytherins were always friendly towards him. Especially because of who his father is. She was just a refreshing person and he wanted to befriend her before everyone in Hogwarts figured out the same thing.

She brushed her hands through her hair before throwing them in the air.

"Well, if you happen to know about glowing ghost monsters that attack you in the shower I'd love to know."

He frowned, "No, I don't think I know anything about that particular topic."

"Figures." She turned to leave and James grabbed her shoulder.

"Well I might not know anything about your shower monster, but I can bet you my aunt knows something about it."

"Oh really? You bet, huh? What exactly do you bet?"

"Well, how about we make a little wager? If I find some information about your monster, you have to give me your name."

"Well what do I get if you can't find anything, which you won't ?"

"Good question!" He threw his arm over her shoulder and spun her to face the direction of class so that they walked together in discussion.


End file.
